Patriots' defense looks formidable entering season

Friday

Aug 30, 2013 at 6:00 AM

By Rich Garven TELEGRAM & GAZETTE

FOXBORO — It's been a few years since the Patriots fielded a defense that was disruptive and dominate. That could change this season. They have a front seven that has the potential to rank among the league's best, not that you got the opportunity to see that Thursday night as the Patriots closed out the preseason by resting their starters in a 28-20 win over the New York Giants in unseasonably cool conditions at Gillette Stadium.

Massive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly are both stout against the run and have proven track records for being able to collapse the pocket. They're bookended by sophomore Chandler Jones, a superstar in the making, and eighth-year veteran Rob Ninkovich, who is simply a pro's pro.

The line is supported by two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Jerod Mayo, who annually ranks among the league's top tacklers, and a couple of talented youngsters in Brandon Spikes and Dont'a Hightower. Spikes is a force against the run, and Hightower appears to be someone who will contribute on all three downs.

At cornerback, the Patriots have a Pro Bowl-caliber player in Aqib Talib to go along with steady veteran Kyle Arrington and promising underclassmen Alfonzo Dennard and Logan Ryan, a third-round pick in April's draft. (One concern is Dennard's impending court date for a possible probation violation.)

Then there's safety, which is the Achilles' heel of a defense that some see as ascending to a ranking in the top 10-12 after having languished at the bottom of the 32-team league for the past three seasons.

The Patriots are expected to keep five safeties when the roster must be cut to 53 players by 6 p.m. Saturday. Trouble is, only one of them makes you feel good.

That would be Devin McCourty. After that you have the uninspiring and/or untested likes of Steve Gregory, Adrian Wilson, Tavon Wilson, Duron Harmon, Nate Ebner and Kanorris Davis. There is no safety in numbers with that group.

Gregory looked like he'd be a cutdown causality when training camp opened. By the time it closed he had nailed down a starting job for a second straight season.

That says more about his colleagues than it does about Gregory, who is undersized at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds and a poor tackler. He is, at best, a player who should be utilized in obvious passing situations.

The signing of Adrian Wilson to a three-year, $5 million contract in March was supposed to — literally — shore up the position.

The idea was the 6-3, 230-pound Wilson would defend center field on the early downs before moving up to the line in the Big Nickel defense with Gregory stepping in to cover receivers downfield.

But other than serving as a mentor, Wilson has made no tangible contributions as a Patriot and found himself playing in the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions in the third preseason game and starting against the Giants on Thursday.

When a 13-year veteran and five-time Pro Bowler receives that kind of playing time in late August it usually means he's headed for the unemployment line.

About the only thing Wilson has going for him is the Patriots are thinner than a piece of spaghetti at safety. But he's been so disappointing that still might not be enough to save him.

As for the rest of the crew, they've shown nothing that makes you think they can provide help — at least in the early part of the season. And that's got to be tough for the Patriots to take, especially when it comes to Tavon Wilson.

Drafted in the second round with the 48th overall pick in 2012, Wilson has regressed from his rookie season to the point where you seriously wonder if he'll make the team, as well. Again, what choice do the Patriots have?

And while Harmon has overtaken Tavon Wilson on the depth chart, the rookie who was drafted in the third round in April looks to be at least a year away from assisting the defense in a meaningful manner.

It isn't easy to hide a safety since they play in the middle of the field. Right now the Patriots have a glaring hole in their defense that needs patching if the unit hopes to make the move from downtrodden to disruptive this season.

Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com.

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